Cleaning-rod for firearms.



J. H. BLAIR. CLEANING ROD FOB, FIREARMS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1909.,

962,883. Patented June 28, 1910.

JAMES H. BLAIR, OF QUEBEC, QUEBEC, CANADA.

CLEANING-ROD FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1910.

Application filed November 2, 1909. Serial No. 525,904.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. BLAIR, subject of the King of England, residing at Quebec, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning- Rods for Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in rods for cleaning the bores of rifles and like firearms, and relates particularly to the improved rod for which Letters Patent, No. 933,285 were granted to me on September 7, 1909. Such a rod embodies a plurality of tubular sections through which passes a flexible connecting member that is designed to be subjected to tension to hold the sections in alinement and that is arranged, when relieved of tension, to release the sections to permit the same to be folded against each other to form a compact structure.

The object of the invention is a device of this character in which the flexible connecting member is provided at intervals with rigid core pieces adapted to fit within the sections and arranged when the member is subjected to tension, to span the joint between the meeting ends of the sections, whereby to materially reinforce the rod and render the same quite stiff.

Another object of the invention is a rod which is susceptible of use for cleaning gun barrels of different Calibers; which embodies to a marked degree the characteristics of simplicity, durability and efficiency; and which consists of comparatively few parts and is capable of being easily and cheaply manufactured.

lVith these and other objects in View that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features of in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a rod constructed in accordance with my invention, the parts being shown in operative positions; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rod with the parts folded; and, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the core pieces spanning the joints.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

The improved rod forming the subject matter of the present invention embodies a plurality of similar sections which are of substantially tubular form and are designed to be held end to end to constitute a rod of the requisite length, the intermediate sections of the rod being designated 1 and the terminal sections being designated 1 and 1 respectively. The sections are preferably cut off square in order to provide butt joints 2 at the meeting ends thereof. Passing longitudinally through the tubular sections is a flexible connecting member 3 that is preferably in the form of a chain, although not necessarily so, and that is adapted to be subjected to linear tension to maintain the sections in alinement.

A plurality of cylindrical core pieces of rigid material are incorporated in the connecting member at suitable intervals and are shorter than the rod sections and of such size as to fit snugly therein. The core pieces are arranged to span the respective joints between the meeting ends of the sections when the connecting member is subjected to tension to maintain the sections in alinement. This is an essential feature of the present invention and it will be seen that by virtue of such an arrangement the rod is rendered quite stiff and is materially reinforced at the oints which have heretofore been weak points. One of the core pieces, designated a is arranged at one terminal of the flexible connecting member and projects partially into the inner end portion of the terminal section 1" and is suitably secured therein, as for instance by a pin passed transversely therethrough. The remaining core pieces 4 are equal in number to the number of intermediate sections 1 and are free to slide within the sections with the connecting member.

The connecting member passes freely entirely through the other terminal section 1 and terminates beyond the same in a finger ring 5. This free end of the connecting member may be subjected to linear tension in any approved manner, although as the preferred means for accomplishing this object, I provide a hollow handle 6 that is threaded on the outer end of the section 1", the connecting member passing outwardly through the handle, as shown, and being prevented from moving inwardly beyond the same by means of the finger ring 5. The handle is bifurcated at its outer end toform oppositely and laterally curved finger pieces 7 by which the rod is manipulated. One of these finger pieces is provided with a claw 8 adapted to engage with the free end of the connecting member to maintain the same taut, the tension of the connecting member being conveniently regulated by adjusting the handle relative to the terminal section 1.

9 designates a swiveled cleaning head which is formed at one end with a longitudinally extending shank 1O fitting in the outer end portion of the terminal section l and formed with an annular groove 11, the groove receiving one or more lugs 12 that are punched from the said section to retain the shank therein and at the same time admit of its free rotation. At its outer end the head is provided with a longitudinally disposed threaded stud 13 adapted to engage with the hub portion of a cylindrical brush 14, the latter being designed to turn with the rifling when the device is used; for cleaning a barrel of this character. It is contemplated to provide a plurality of brushes of different sizes which may be interchanged at will according to the caliber of the gun barrel to be cleaned.

In practice, to collapse the rod when the parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, it is merely necessary to turn the hollow handle on the adjacent terminal section in the requisite direction to reduce the tension on the flexible connecting member. The connecting member is then disengaged fom the claw 8, whereby to permit the core pieces 4 to slide longitudinally within the rod, so as to be entirely contained within the respec tive intermediate sections 1, thus releasing the joints that were previously spanned by said core pieces. hen the core piece 4 is withdrawn from the end of the adjacent intermediate section, the various sections may be folded upon each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2, in order to provide a compact structure which may be conveniently carried 011 hunting trips and readily stowed away when not in use.

By reversing the above operation the parts may be quickly returned to their operative positions.

I l l 1 Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A collapsible rod embodying a plurality of tubular sections, a flexible connecting member passing through said sections, and a plurality of rigid core pieces disposed at intervals in the length of the connecting member and adapted to span the joints between the meeting ends of the sections.

2. A collapsible rod embodying a plurality of tubular sections, a plurality of core pieces slidably mounted within the sections and adapted to span the joints between the meeting ends thereof, and flexible connections between the core pieces.

3. A collapsible rod embodying a plurality of tubular sections, a flexible connecting member passing through said sections and designed to be subjected to linear tension to maintain the said sections associated, and a plurality of core pieces disposed at intervals in the length of the connecting member and slidably mounted within the sections and arranged to span the joints be tween the meeting ends thereof when the connecting member is subjected to tension.

4. A collapsible rod embodying a plurality of tubular sections, a flexible connecting member passing through said sections, a plurality of core pieces incorporated at in tervals in the length of the connecting member and slidably mounted within the sections, and means for holdingthe connecting member under tension to maintain the sections associated with the core pieces spanning the joints between the meeting ends thereof.

5. A collapsible rod embodying terminal and intermediate tubular sections, aflexible connecting member passing freely through one of the terminal sections and the intermediate sections, a core piece fastened to one end of the connecting member and arranged to span the joint between the other terminal section and the adjacent intermediate section and secured within the former, and a plurality of other core pieces disposed at intervals in the length of the connecting member and slidably mounted within the sections and adapted to span the remaining joints t-herebetween.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. BLAIR. [Ls] lVitnesses J. ARMANI) GARNEAU, EvAnnsT E. Roonnrrn. 

